Nathalie Amvongo-Adjia is a Research Officer at the Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies (IMPM), Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation (MINRESI). She has been actively engaged in infectious disease research, focusing on medical entomology, molecular biology, bioinformatics, population genomics and genetics, and Epidemiology. With over a decade of experience in research on Population Genetics Studies of parasites and vectors of infectious diseases, ranging from field epidemiology (including entomology) to biotechnology (PCR-based assays, Sanger Sequencing & Next-Generation Sequencing), her work contributes significantly to the understanding of parasite and vector genetics in Africa.
Miss Amvongo-Adjia began her scientific career as a research assistant and head of the Molecular Biology Unit at the Research Foundation for Tropical Diseases and the Environment at the University of Buea, Cameroon (2011–2015). She later joined the Laboratory of Parasitology at MRC-IMPM as a research associate (2016–2019), where she expanded her expertise in parasite-vector interactions. In November 2019, she was appointed a research officer at IMPM, where she continues to lead studies on malaria, trachoma, and onchocerciasis.
She holds a Master of Science in Parasitology from the University of Yaoundé I (2008–2010) and a Master of Public Health in Global Health and Control of Infectious Diseases at Yonsei University, South Korea (2023–2025). Her interdisciplinary skills include molecular surveillance of insecticide resistance, genetic epidemiology, biostatistics, and ethics in research. Additionally, she is proficient in grant writing, budgeting for research projects, and mentoring students and technicians.
Amvongo-Adjia’s research interests lie in the population genetics of parasites and vectors, integrating field epidemiology with molecular and genomic tools, including PCR-based assays, Sanger sequencing, and next-generation sequencing. She has led and contributed to multiple research projects, including the study of insecticide resistance mechanisms in malaria vectors, the genetic markers of Onchocerca volvulus resistance to ivermectin, and the polymorphism of Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich proteins. Her projects have been funded by reputable institutions such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (RSTMH), and the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS).
Her scientific contributions include 12 peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals, covering topics such as vector resistance mechanisms, genetic epidemiology of malaria transmission, and the impact of mass drug administration strategies on neglected tropical diseases. Notably, her work on the role of GST-mediated resistance in Anopheles funestus and its association with Plasmodium infection has been widely recognized in the field of vector biology.
Beyond research, Amvongo-Adjia is committed to capacity building and knowledge dissemination. She has supervised students and technicians, contributed to policy discussions on vector control, and actively participated in international scientific conferences. Her dedication to advancing infectious disease research in Africa underscores her role as a key contributor to global health efforts in combating vector-borne and parasitic diseases.